1914

A home is discovered

On New Year's Eve 1913, Chicago Federals owner Charles Weeghman agreed to a 99-year lease on a small parcel of land located at the corner of Clark and Addison Streets on Chicago's North Side.

The first brick is laid

At a construction cost of $250,000, a ballpark with a seating capacity of only 14,000 was constructed in just two months and named Weeghman Park, later to become Wrigley Field. It consisted of a single-story grandstand that stretched from the left-field foul pole around home plate to the right-field foul pole, with a small bleacher section in right field.

The first game

On April 23, 1914, the Chicago Federals played their first Major League game at the ballpark, defeating the Kansas City Packers, 9-1. Chi-Feds catcher Art Wilson hit two home runs in the victory.

The first renovation

Four days after Opening Day, the first renovations were made. With a flurry of home runs hit in the first three games at the ballpark, the Chi-Feds decided to push the outfield walls back as much as 50 feet in some places. This also necessitated moving the scoreboard from left field to its now-iconic location in center field.

The first season

The Chicago Federals finished the season in second place under manager and eventual Hall of Famer Joe Tinker, with an overall record of 87-67 and a 43-34 record at Weeghman Park.

1915

Chi-Feds devoured by Whales

The Chicago Federals were renamed the Chicago Whales in a fans pick-the-name contest. The rationale for the name is unclear, but the winning artist's entry included a note saying, "The best commercial whales (used for meals and oils) are found in the frozen north, which means that the North Side should have the best team."

Whales clinch the pennant

The Chicago Whales clinched the Federal League pennant on the last day of the season, splitting a doubleheader with Pittsburgh to win by a single percentage point in one of the closest races in professional baseball history.

Bricks and bleachers

The right-field bleachers were removed and replaced with new brick and wooden bleachers, twice as large, built in left field. The project was completed at a cost of $17,000, which included the cost of removing a home at the north end of the park.

It's a circus

On select nights in June and July, Weeghman Park was home to first-class "hippodrome acts" at night after the Whales' games. A separate admission fee, 10 to 20 cents for grandstand and 30 cents for boxes, was charged to view circus-style performers like "The Five Juggling Normans," "The Clown King of the Sawdust Ring" and "the great baseball pantomime comedian George Slivers."

1916

Whales become Cubs

In 1916, the assets of the Cubs and Whales were combined under the Cubs organization as part of the peace agreement to settle some anti-trust lawsuits filed by the Federal League against organized baseball.

The park gets its first ads

With the Federal League gone, the center-field scoreboard underwent renovations, including the addition of advertising, as the Doublemint Twins were placed atop the scoreboard.

The very first Cubs game

The ballclub played its first game as the Cubs at Weeghman Park on April 20, beating the Reds, 7-6, in 11 innings before 20,000 fans on Opening Day.

The voice of a ballpark

The Cubs hired Pat Pieper as the field announcer at Weeghman Park, replacing Admiral Kingston, the announcer for the Whales. Pieper served as the field announcer until his death in October 1974. He claimed to have missed only 18 Cubs home games after he was hired, which includes 14 in 1918 to attend his father's funeral in Denver.

A bear sighting

Joa, a live bear cub who would serve as the team's mascot, greeted patrons at the first National League game played at Clark and Addison. Lincoln Park zookeeper Cy Devry led Joa around the park, including to home plate for photographers.

1918

A Series too big for the Friendly Confines

On Aug. 29, the Cubs completed a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds to advance to their first World Series since 1910. Because of capacity concerns, the Cubs played their World Series home games on the South Side at the much-larger Comiskey Park. They would go on to lose the Series in six games to the Boston Red Sox, who wouldn't win another World Series for 86 years.

1919

The dawn of a new era

With Charles Weeghman having resigned as club president, Weeghman Park was renamed Cubs Park before the 1919 home opener.

That was quick

On Sept. 21, the Cubs played the fastest nine-inning game in franchise history against the Boston Braves. Cubs great Grover Cleveland Alexander pitched a complete game, defeating the Braves, 3-0, in a 58-minute contest.

1920

Play (foot)ball?

On Oct. 10, the Chicago Tigers and Racine Cardinals faced off in front of a crowd of 8,000 in the first professional football game ever played at Cubs Park. The Cardinals were led by Paddy Driscoll, a former Cub, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.

Hosting a different kind of championship

On Dec. 12, Cubs Park hosted the American Professional Football League Championship Game, a game billed as "The Game to Decide the Pro Football Championship of the World." The Decatur Staleys (later known as the Chicago Bears) tied the Akron Steel, and Akron's star halfback, Fritz Pollard, became the first African-American to play in a pro sporting event at Cubs Park.

1921

Sharing the Den

The Chicago Staleys/Bears officially made Cubs Park their new home. They played most of their home games at Clark and Addison for the next 50 years, 39 of which were winning seasons.

1922

Changing the tune

On July 12, Cubs Park hosted the first of many concerts to come. Lights were brought in to illuminate the field, and a platform and sounding board were built over the infield for the orchestra.

Cubs Park keeps growing

In a $300,000 renovation project, the Park was reconfigured to increase capacity. Portions of the grandstands were placed on rollers and moved back into their current positions, and the first steel-framed bleachers were assembled in left field. Today, the Wrigley Field pitcher's mound stands over the original batter's box.

The bleachers take shape

Elevated brick bleachers replaced the old, ground-level bleachers and a new scoreboard was built and placed above them.

1924

It's his Field now

On Aug. 11, William Wrigley Jr. purchased the lease to the Cubs Park property and the remaining 88-year commitment from Edmund Archambault and the Cantillons brothers for a reported $295,000.

WGN, meet Chicago baseball

On Oct. 1, WGN broadcast its first baseball game, the first Chicago professional game ever broadcast on radio with A.W. Kaney at the microphone. The Cubs hosted the White Sox, winning the contest, 10-7.

1926

A whole different ballpark

In autumn, construction began on adding a second deck to Cubs Park. Though the project was scheduled for completion by Opening Day 1927, only the left-field deck was finished in time. The right-field deck would not be completed until 1928.

Cubs Park takes new name

On Dec. 3, the board of directors voted to officially rename the park Wrigley Field in honor of William Wrigley Jr. It would become the second ballpark to go by that name, as Mr. Wrigley's Los Angeles Minor League team also played at a Wrigley Field.

1927

Off to a great start

On April 12, the Cubs beat the Cardinals, 10-1, in front of a crowd of 42,000 in the very first game at the newly renamed Wrigley Field.

Throwing punches instead of pitches

On May 31, Wrigley Field hosted the junior welterweight boxing championship as Mushy Callahan of Los Angeles defeated Spug Myers of Idaho for the title.

1928

A tale of three turkeys

On Thanksgiving Day, three live turkeys were released during a game between the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cardinals, and whoever caught the turkeys got to take them home as a prize. It was also the last professional football game played by Olympian Jim Thorpe.

1929

Hats off

In a September doubleheader that set a single-day record with 81,000 in attendance, fans littered the field with straw hats every time the Cubs hit a home run. Rogers Hornsby hit his 31st and 32nd homers of the season, and Hack Wilson hit his 35th as the Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in both contests.

The World Series comes to Wrigley

On Oct. 8, Wrigley Field hosted its first World Series contest as the Chicago Cubs squared off against the Philadelphia Athletics. Temporary bleachers were erected over Waveland and Sheffield to accommodate the nearly 51,000 fans in attendance.

1930

Ladies storm the gates

On June 27, the Cubs drew a record 51,556 fans for their game against Brooklyn, including 30,476 guests of the house on Ladies Day. Reportedly, fans almost broke down the front gate to get into the park.

Hack sets RBI record

On Sept. 28, Hall of Famer Hack Wilson set a Major League record by driving in his 190th and 191st runs of the season, helping the Cubs rally from a 9-0 deficit to beat the Reds, 13-11. His RBI record still stands.

1931

The Bricklayers fall

On June 21, Glasgow Celtic, one of Europe's most celebrated soccer teams, beat the Bricklayers, a Chicago-area squad, 6-3, at Wrigley Field in front of a crowd of 11,000.

Cardinals fly north

In a surprise move, the Chicago Cardinals moved their football games from Comiskey Park to Wrigley Field in the fall of 1931. The Cardinals and Bears would share Wrigley Field through the 1939 season.

1932

Everybody's listening

During the 1931 season, as many as seven Chicago radio stations, including WGN, carried Cubs games from Wrigley Field on a given day, as the team did not charge a broadcast fee.

No more megaphones

The Cubs installed the first public address system in the park. Until then, PA announcer Pat Pieper would walk from bullpen to bullpen with a megaphone, announcing starting lineups and changes.

Pennant clincher

On Sept. 20, the Cubs clinched the NL pennant with a 5-2 win over the Pirates. Kiki Cuyler's three-run triple in the seventh inning propelled the Cubs to victory.

Babe's called shot

On Oct. 1, in Game 3 of the World Series, Babe Ruth hit his highly debated and much-celebrated called shot off Charlie Root. Moments before the home run, Ruth made a series of gestures -- but was he calling his shot or responding to the bench-jockeying from the Cubs dugout?

1933

Bears win! Bears win!

On Dec. 17, the Bears beat the New York Giants, 23-21, to win the NFL championship before 26,000 spectators. Jack Manders kicked three field goals for the Bears, and Bronko Nagurski passed for two touchdowns.

1934

The marquee goes up

The first marquee was added to the park at the corner of Clark and Addison. Officially listed as fern green, the sign was more of a bluish color and welcomed fans to the "Home of the Cubs."

Wrestling at Wrigley

On Sept. 20, the world heavyweight wrestling title bout was decided at Wrigley Field in a ring built over home plate. Jim Landos pinned Ed "Strangler" Lewis to claim the title. The show also included a wrestling exhibition between "Gorgeous" George and Jim McMillen.

Marketing the magic

Following the 1934 season, the Cubs introduced the first major marketing campaign in Major League history, running ads in local newspapers mid-winter with Opening Day still several months away.

1937

The ivy takes root

The Friendly Confines' famous ivy was planted with 350 Japanese Bittersweet plants and 200 Boston Ivy plants taking root at the base of the new brick outfield walls.

NFL championship

On Dec. 12, the Washington Redskins beat the Bears, 28-21, to win the NFL championship before 15,878 at Wrigley Field. Sammy Baugh tossed two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

1938

A tradition begins

Pennants representing league standings were hung below the yardarm of the main scoreboard, marking the beginning of a cherished Wrigley Field tradition.

Another Wrigley Field first

A scoreboard was added outside the park so that fans passing by could be kept advised of the game's progress. This is believed to be the first time a ballclub had done this.

Homer in the Gloamin'

On Sept. 28, moments after umpires declared the game would end at the completion of the ninth inning due to darkness, Gabby Hartnett hit his famous "Homer in the Gloamin'" to give the Cubs a two-out, walk-off win and vault them into first place. They would clinch the NL pennant three days later.

1941

The times are changin'

More than a ton of steel was used to build a 10-foot white clock atop the center-field scoreboard. It wouldn't be painted green until the 1944 season.

The sound of Wrigley Field makes its debut

On April 26, the Cubs became the first team to have an organ playing inside their ballpark. Oddly enough, it was removed during their road trip a few days later.

The lights will have to wait

On Dec. 8, a day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, owner P.K. Wrigley donated 165 tons of steel, intended for Wrigley Field's lights, to the U.S. war effort.

1944

Jump!

For two consecutive weekends in January, Clark and Addison was home to the Norge Ski Club's 38th annual invitational ski jump tournament. A jump was assembled from scaffolding and covered in snow and ice. Skiers started their descent near today's broadcast booth and landed behind second base.

The scoreboard goes green

The iconic center-field scoreboard at Wrigley Field was painted its now-famous dark green color. The scoreboard was originally a reddish-brown and the clock was white.

1946

Cowboys, cowgirls and rodeo clowns

For five summer afternoons and evenings in June, Wrigley Field became home to a rodeo and thrill circus that featured some of the best riders in the world. More than 900 cowboys, cowgirls, Hollywood daredevils and Sioux Indians rode bulls and broncos and performed rope tricks and stunts.

Lights, camera, action!

On July 13, WBKB broadcast the first televised baseball game from Wrigley Field, a mid-afternoon matchup between the Cubs and Dodgers. WGN began its television coverage of the Cubs two years later.

1947

Welcome to Wrigley Field, Jackie Robinson

On May 18, the largest regular-season crowd in Wrigley Field history (46,572) gathered to watch Jackie Robinson make his Chicago debut for the visiting Dodgers.

An All-Star ballpark

On July 8, Wrigley Field hosted its first All-Star Game with Andy Pafko and Phil Cavarretta representing the Cubs.

The first fully televised season

This marked the first year WBKB broadcast every Cubs home game from Wrigley Field.

1951

Over the scoreboard

On April 17, professional golfer Sam Snead did what no Major Leaguer has ever done: He hit a ball over the center-field scoreboard. He didn't even tee it up; all he needed was his trusty 2-iron.

Signed for soldiers

During the Korean War, Wrigley Field instituted a voluntary policy in which fans who caught a foul ball could return those balls so they could be shipped to servicemen overseas. Fans were asked to write their name and address on the ball so the servicemen would know who sent it.

1954

Here come the Globetrotters!

On Aug. 21, Wrigley Field installed a basketball court and portable lights for games that featured the Harlem Globetrotters against George Mikan's U.S. Stars, and the House of David traveling team against the Boston Whirlwinds.

1955

A no-hitter to remember

On May 12, Sam Jones threw a no-hitter against the Pirates. He walked the bases loaded in the ninth inning before striking out the next three Pirates, including Roberto Clemente, to complete the no-no and 4-0 victory.

1962

Beaming Wrigley Field

In an exchange of TV programming, the U.S. beamed 20 minutes of live clips of various cultural icons to 18 European countries. The broadcast included a news conference with President John F. Kennedy, shots of the Statue of Liberty, bison roaming the Western Plains and part of the Cubs-Phillies game on July 23.

Wrigley Field hosts second All-Star Game

On July 30, Wrigley Field hosted its second All-Star Game. The American League won, 9-4, with three home runs. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and George Altman represented the Cubs on the NL squad.

Golden rookie

After being called up by the Cubs in 1961, second baseman Ken Hubbs became the first rookie to win a Gold Glove Award in 1962. He would go on to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award, but his career was tragically cut short after he died in a plane crash in 1964.

1963

Not so fast, Mr. Mays

On June 6, with the game tied in the ninth inning, Lindy McDaniel came into the game with one out and the bases loaded. He struck out a batter and picked off the great Willie Mays to get the Cubs out of a jam. He then hit a walk-off home run to move the Cubs into a three-way tie for first place.

Bears win the title

On a frigid, 7-degree day in December, the Bears beat the New York Giants, 14-10, at Wrigley Field to take the NFL title.

1966

Fergie makes his Cubs debut

In his first game after being acquired by the Cubs, Fergie Jenkins threw five scoreless innings in relief and belted a home run in a 2-0 victory over the visiting Dodgers.

1967

A national moment

In February, the Cubs announced they would feature music and play the national anthem before every home game. Before this, the national anthem was only played on holidays and special occasions at Wrigley Field.

They won't leave

On July 2, the Cubs beat the Reds, 4-1, to move into first place. It was the first time since 1945 that the Cubs had been in first place this late in the season, and many fans refused to leave the park until the grounds crew updated the league standings and moved the Cubs flag to the top of the board.

1969

Billy Williams breaks the record

After completing a doubleheader sweep of the Cardinals on June 29, Billy Williams officially broke the NL record for consecutive games played with 896. His streak would eventually extend to 1,117 games.

Ken Holtzman no-hits the Braves

After tossing seven hitless innings against the Braves on Aug. 19, Ken Holtzman's no-hitter looked lost as Hank Aaron connected on a deep fly ball. Luckily, a gust of wind knocked it down at the last second and Billy Williams caught it on the warning track to preserve Holtzman's career performance.

1970

Mr. Cub hits No. 500

In a May 12 matchup against the Braves, Ernie Banks connected for his 500th home run off Pat Jarvis to help beat the Braves, 4-3. He would go on to end his career with a franchise-record 512 home runs.

The Bears say goodbye

On Dec. 13, Jack Concannon passed for four touchdowns and ran for another in a 35-17 victory over the rival Green Bay Packers. It would be the Bears' last game at Wrigley Field.

1972

Hot rookie on a cold afternoon

On a frigid day in April, rookie Burt Hooton threw a no-hitter in his fourth career start to beat the Phillies, 4-0. He was the first National League rookie in 60 years to throw a no-hitter.

Almost-perfect Pappas

On Sept. 2, Milt Pappas nearly threw a perfect game as he retired the first 26 Padres batters. He ended up walking Larry Stahl with two outs in the ninth on a questionable ball-four call, but he retired the next batter to complete the impressive no-hitter and beat San Diego, 8-0.

1976

Going, going, still going ...

On May 14, Dave Kingman of the New York Mets hit the longest home run in Wrigley Field history, driving the ball more than 500 feet. The ball traveled down Kenmore Avenue.

1977

Red hot

On July 28, the Cubs and Reds combined to tie the NL record for most home runs in a single game with 11. The Cubs ended up beating the Reds, 16-15, in a 13-inning classic.

1981

A pretty good deal

On June 16, the Tribune Company announced the purchase of the team from William Wrigley and 800 stockholders for $20.5 million. Three months after the sale, the Tribune also purchased Wrigley Field for a reported $600,000, bringing the final purchase price to $21.1 million.

Soccer packs 'em in

On June 28, the Chicago Sting of the North American Soccer League beat the Cosmos, 6-5, before 30,501 at Wrigley Field. With the Cubs having an "off" season and a mid-summer baseball strike, this was the second largest crowd at Wrigley that year, topped only by the home opener.

1982

Two days, 21 innings

The longest game in Cubs history (by time) was played in a contest that started on Aug. 17 and resumed the next day, with the Dodgers beating the Cubs, 2-1, in 21 innings. The game lasted six hours and 10 minutes.

No. 14

On Aug. 22, fans packed Wrigley Field as uniform No. 14 was retired in honor of "Mr. Cub," and Hall of Famer Ernie Banks.

1983

Park improvements

Three major renovation projects were kicked off, including the new Stadium Club, the expansion of park concession stands and the expansion of washrooms -- although the infamous "troughs" in the men's restrooms were retained and remain to this day.

HOF at the ballpark

A Cubs Hall of Fame was added, doubling as a gift shop, and included Hall of Fame plaques and memorabilia from HOF players.

Elia snaps

On April 29, following a 4-3 loss to the Dodgers, Cubs manager Lee Elia delivered one of the most infamous postgame meltdowns in sports history with a profanity-laced tirade against Cubs fans. An apologetic Elia was able to save his job, but only temporarily; the Cubs skipper was dismissed later that August.

1984

New digs

A new 6,000-square-foot Cubs clubhouse was built under the third-base stands, replacing the old clubhouse located at the base of the left-field foul line.

The Sandberg Game

On June 23, Ryne Sandberg burst onto the national spotlight by blasting dramatic, game-tying home runs in both the ninth and 10th innings against Bruce Sutter, one of the premier closers in the NL, in a thrilling 12-11 win over the Cardinals in 11 innings. Sandberg crushed two homers, hit three singles and had seven RBIs on the day, prompting Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog to refer to him as "Baby Ruth."

No lights, no advantage

In August, MLB announced that the Cubs would lose home-field advantage in the World Series if they got that far, due to Wrigley Field's lack of lights. Network TV commitments, citing higher TV ratings for night games, would have forced Game 1 from Wrigley Field to the AL park.

In the heat of the moment

On Aug. 7, with the Cubs en route to a four-game sweep of the Mets amid an intense playoff race, Cub Keith Moreland rushed the mound and roll-blocked Mets pitcher Ed Lynch, setting off a memorable bench-clearing brawl.

Thirty-nine years in the making

In their first playoff game since 1945, the Cubs pounded the Padres, 13-0, to win the opening game of the NLCS. The Cubs hit five home runs, including one by pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, who also hurled seven scoreless innings and allowed just two hits.

1987

Beaned

On July 7, in one of the scariest moments in Wrigley Field history, Padres pitcher Eric Show hit Cubs slugger Andre Dawson in the face with a pitch. Dawson remained motionless on the ground for a few seconds, then jumped to his feet to charge the mound as both benches emptied.

Dawson dominates

On Aug. 1, Andre Dawson hit three home runs to help the Cubs beat the Phillies. Dawson drove in all five runs in the 5-3 victory. During his MVP season, Dawson hit 15 home runs in August to win NL Player of the Month honors.

A sweet honor

On Aug. 13, uniform No. 26 was retired in honor of Cubs great and Hall of Famer "Sweet Swinging" Billy Williams.

1988

From day to night

Lights were added at Wrigley Field at a cost of $5 million, ushering in an exciting new era but disappointing some Cubs fans, many of whom had organized and fought to keep lights out of the Friendly Confines.

The lucky few

On June 28, more than 1.5 million phone calls were recorded during a 3 1/2-hour ticket lottery to award the final 13,000 seats for the first scheduled night game on Aug. 8, 1988.

Let There Be Light

On Aug. 8, Wrigley Field became the last MLB ballpark to add lights as the Cubs hosted the Phillies. With media coverage resembling that of the World Series, the Cubs jumped to a 3-1 lead only to have the game rained out. The first complete night game was played the following evening on Aug.9.

1990

Sink or swim

After Greg Maddux had gone 13 starts without a win, manager Don Zimmer promised to swim across Lake Michigan if Maddux won his next game at Wrigley Field. Maddux delivered with a 4-2 victory over the Padres. Though Zimmer showed up to the postgame news conference in a life jacket and sunglasses, he declined to make the 60-mile swim, claiming that he "swims like a rock."

1993

How's the game down there?

On July 7, Cincinnati's Tom Browning was spotted by two cameras and his own team's bullpen as he watched part of the game from the roof of a Sheffield apartment building across the street.

1994

Off to a great start

On Opening Day, Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes hit home runs in three consecutive at-bats off the Mets' Doc Gooden to become just the second player in Major League history to hit three home runs on Opening Day.

MJ thrills

On April 7, Michael Jordan made his Chicago baseball debut, playing for the White Sox and going 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the Windy City Classic. The exhibition game ended in a 4-4 tie after 10 innings.

1997

Batter's eye bushes

In 1997, Juniper bushes were added to the center-field batter's eye, replacing several rows of empty, deteriorating bleachers.

1998

Kid K dominates

On May 6, in what was arguably the most dominant pitching performance in Major League history, 20-year-old Kerry Wood struck out 20 batters to tie a record and beat the Astros, 2-0. Wood allowed just one hit -- an infield single. It was his fifth start.

The crosstown rivalry begins

On June 5, the Cubs and White Sox played their first Interleague game at Wrigley Field. The Cubs ended up winning on a Brant Brown home run in extra innings and completed a sweep of the Sox two days later.

Sammy slams the record

On June 30, Sammy Sosa hit his 20th home run of June against the Arizona Diamondbacks, earning Player of the Month honors and setting a Major League record for home runs in a month.

Da voice

After arriving late at the park from the golf course, Mike Ditka rushed through "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" in what was possibly the worst rendition of the song in Wrigley Field history.

Game No.163

On Sept. 28, Steve Trachsel took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and the Cubs beat the Giants, 5-3, to claim the NL Wild Card spot on a Gary Gaetti home run.

1999

Honoring the voices of the Cubs

On April 12, the Cubs unveiled a statue of Harry Caray at the corner of Clark and Addison and added Jack Brickhouse's iconic "Hey, Hey" to the Wrigley Field foul poles.

A century of greats

On Sept 25, the Cubs honored their All-Century team before a matchup against the Pirates. Twenty players and one manager were elected by fan balloting.

2001

Remembrance

On Sept. 27, in their first game since the attacks of 9/11, police officers, Red Cross volunteers, firefighters and victims of the attacks were honored at Wrigley Field. Sammy Sosa homered in his first at-bat and carried an American flag around the bases.

2003

Cubs clinch the Central

On Sept. 27, the Cubs swept the Pirates in a doubleheader to clinch the NL Central. They retired the No. 10 jersey in honor of Ron Santo the next day.

2005

Wrigleyville turned Margaritaville

On Sept. 4, Wrigley Field hosted the first of two Jimmy Buffett concerts, each of which drew nearly 40,000 fans.

His Honor has an arm

Sept. 12 marked the first time a sitting United States Supreme Court justice threw out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game. Long-time Cubs fan Justice John Paul Stevens threw the first pitch before the Cubs took on the Cincinnati Reds.

2008

Mr. Cub gets a statue

On March 31, the Cubs unveiled a statue of Hall of Fame infielder Ernie Banks outside the park at Clark and Addison.

Cubs repeat as division champs

For the first time since 1906-08, the Cubs reached the postseason in back-to-back seasons, clinching a playoff spot by defeating the rival Cardinals, 5-4. Wrigley Field established a park record in 2008, as 3,300,200 fans attended 81 home games.

2009

Hockey comes to Wrigley Field

On New Year's Day, for the first time in park history, professional hockey came to Wrigley Field as the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Winter Classic.

Hanging up No. 31

On May 3, the Cubs retired No. 31 in honor of Greg Maddux and Fergie Jenkins.

A new era

On Oct 28, the Ricketts family completed its purchase of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field from the Tribune Company.

2010

Friendlier confines

The back side of the famous scoreboard was refurbished for the first time since 1937, and an all-inclusive executive club (the PNC Club) was added. A fan viewing area was placed under the right-field bleachers so spectators could watch players take batting practice in the cage.

Harry makes a move

The Harry Caray statue was moved from near the entrance to the center field, where it could greet bleacher-loving fans at every game.

Billy gets a statue

On Sept. 7, a statue honoring Cubs legend and Hall of Famer "Sweet Swinging" Billy Williams was unveiled near the corner of Addison Street and Sheffield Avenue.

Purple marquee?

On Nov. 15, the ballpark's famous red marquee was painted Valspar's Wildcat Purple in preparation for the Northwestern-Illinois football game. Football would return to Wrigley Field for the first time since 1970 five days later, as U of I topped the Wildcats, 48-27, in the Big Ten contest.

2011

Santo's statue

On Aug. 10, the team honored beloved Cub and Hall of Famer Ron Santo by unveiling a statue near the statue of his close teammate, Billy Williams, at the corner of Addison and Sheffield.

Save Ferris!

On Oct. 1, the Cubs celebrated the 25th anniversary of the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" by hosting a movie night at the park. Three 30-foot screens lined the lip of the outfield grass to show the movie that included a scene filmed at the park.

2012

Right-field makeover

The right-field bleachers underwent a makeover to include a patio area and a 75-foot LED board. The board would provide in-game player stats, pictures and pitch counts.

Kerry calls it a career

On May 18, a day after announcing that he would retire after his next appearance, Kerry Wood fanned White Sox outfielder Dayan Viciedo on three pitches and headed to the dugout to an emotional standing ovation. He was met outside the dugout by his young son, Justin, who jumped into his dad's arms.

2013

Wrigley rocks

Rolling Stone magazine named Wrigley Field the second-best rock concert venue in the United States. During the Wrigley Field Pearl Jam concert, Eddie Vedder, the band's lead vocalist and noted Cubs fan, brought Hall of Famer Ernie Banks onto the stage to join him in singing a chorus of the song "All the Way".